BlackBerry

Research in Motion (RIM) held a Blackberry 10 Mini Jam Event at CChub, Lagos on the 14th of August 2012. I was privilege to attend. I gained insight on building applications for the launch of the new BlackBerry 10 platform. There was an in-depth breakout sessions focused on Native C/C++ development for the BlackBerry 10 platform and […]

Waldi Wepener, Regional Director for East, West and Central Africa at RIM said The BlackBerry platform provides significant opportunities for the developer community in Nigeria. There is high demand among developers to learn more about the tools for creating local services and apps on the BlackBerry platform, as well as a strong desire to reach the millions of BlackBerry customers around the world. By partnering locally with the CcHub, we aim to share resources and knowledge to create even more opportunity for Nigerian developers and to help create more jobs.

The following were the agenda:
10:00-10:30 Welcome Keynote
10:30-11:30 Session BB01 - BlackBerry® 10 Experience Overview
Session BB02 - BlackBerry 10 Architecture Overview
Native Track Overviews
Native Track
12:15-13:00 Session NAT01 - The Anatomy of a BlackBerry 10 App
13:00-13:15 Session Break
13:15-14:00 Session NAT02 - Cascades Fundamentals & BlackBerry 10 Cascades Samples
14:00-14:15 Refreshment Break
14:15-15:00 Session NAT03 - Start to Finish: Developing a BlackBerry 10 Application using the BlackBerry 10 NDK
15:00-15:20 Session Break
15:20-16:05 Session NAT04 - BlackBerry Native SDK for BlackBerry® Tablet OS: Advanced Tooling
I will try as much to recap most of the important details.
BlackBerry 10 is a brand new operating system from RIM, which has been built to run on both smartphones and tablets, much like Android and iOS, and will be absolutely key in deciding the company's future.

BlackBerry 10 release date

Initially RIM was planning to launch BB10 before the end of 2012, with at least one flagship device running the operating system arriving in time for Christmas.
However CEO Thorsten Heins confirmed in July that BlackBerry 10 will be delayed until early 2013, as the company continues to fine tune the software, to ensure it launches in the best possible state.
Heins said: "We expect a successful launch of BB10 in the first calendar quarter 2013 – this is our number one priority.
"The timeline has shifted to [this date] and is related to the large volume of software code to work through over last few months.
"This is taking more time than anticipated. To be clear, the change in timeline is not related to architecture, but the integration challenge of bringing all this code our diligent R&D teams have created and get it ready for use globally."

BlackBerry 10 interface

BB10 sees the implementation of a whole new user interface, with RIM doing away with the familiar BlackBerry system we're all used to, in favour of something which resembles the likes of Android and iOS, although with its own unique features.
With BlackBerry 10, RIM has merged homescreens, widgets, app lists and a unified inbox into one slick interface, offering up an easy to navigate user experience.

BlackBerry 10 on PlayBook

RIM has already confirmed that the BlackBerry PlayBook will receive the update to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, and while there's no firm date for this to be rolled out, we'd expect it to happen pretty soon into the new year.

BlackBerry 10 in cars

The current PlayBook OS is based on the version of QNX built for car makers and "the next generation of QNX for cars is going to be built from BB 10," Alec Saunders told us; car makers are keen to use HTML5 for in-car information and entertainment.
That makes it easier to treat your car as another device, he suggested, and to share information. "Ultimately you will be able to transition from your smartphone to your tablet to your TV to your car. Sync will be important. I think you'll start to see devices do things like Bridge today, where it mirrors [on the PlayBook] what's on the BlackBerry handset.
"You'll use one device to access what's on another. QNX is made for these kind of scenarios, projecting information from one device to another. You won't have five devices and have all your content on everything; it's going to have to grow seamlessly across them."

System Architecture

At the heart of the BlackBerry 10 OS is the QNX Neutrino realtime operating system. The System Architecture guide accompanies the QNX Neutrino realtime OS and is intended for both application developers and end-users.
.....I will continue later...off to work